President receives German Ambassador-designate Fitschen
REPUBLIC OF NAURU
Government Information Office
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, 21 September, 2021
President receives German
Ambassador-designate Fitschen
His Excellency President Lionel
Aingimea virtually received the credentials of Germany's Dr Thomas
Fitschen accrediting him as Ambassador of Germany to Nauru, 16
September.
President Aingimea offered Nauru's
congratulations and looks forward to engaging in positive dialogue
and cooperation in areas of mutual interest and concern.
The histories of both countries are
interwoven since Nauru became a German protectorate from 1888 to
1914. German words such as the days of the week are incorporated in
the Nauruan vernacular.
"Stretching over many years, this
relationship has prospered and strengthened through mutual
cooperation and shared values and goals within international
foras," President Aingimea said.
The President expressed the
government's appreciation for the many initiatives and support
Germany offers to Nauru in climate change and resilience as well as
the many programs in capacity building.
Nauru and Germany officially
established the Group of Friends on Climate Change and
Security in the United Nations in 2018, realising the
detrimental impacts of climate change to livelihoods and society
and as the biggest security risk to small island states such as
Nauru.
Ambassador Fitschen is confident
that Germany and Nauru's cooperation against climate change "can
contribute to preventing people from being deprived of their
livelihoods and to strengthen security particularly in the
Pacific."
"But ultimately, it is diplomacy
that is key to success in order to tackle our challenges."
The Ambassador says, over a hundred
years after Germany ended its protectorate status over Nauru, "our
countries still have special ties. Our countries are connected via
diplomacy, international relations and development."
"Our friendship has an outstanding
basis to further strengthen our ties and to build upon existing
cooperation.
"This I will keep supporting until
the remainder of my term," the Ambassador said.
Ambassador Fitschen joined
Germany's foreign service in 1990 and since 2019 is currently the
ambassador of Germany to the Commonwealth of Australia in
Canberra.
Prior to arriving in Australia, the ambassador was the Federal
Foreign Office's Special Representative for Cyber Foreign Policy
and Cybersecurity.